Undergarment



Sept. 13, 1955 G. E. RUTLEDGE UNDERGARMENT Filed Aug. 11, 1955 JNVENTOR. /afedg@ my# e a am @a w 5W l M@ @ff www a, ...m 5M m/ww/K/ W//f @E @vm 8 im 9 f f1 iff a a@ 5 i 2. UN

UNDERGARMENT George E. Rutledge, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Munsingwear, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Delaware Application August 11, 1953, Serial No. 373,532 2 Claims. (Cl. 2-41) This invention relates, generally, to undergarments and it has particular relation to mens undergarments although it is not so limited. Thisjinvention isean improvement over the invention of Rutledge Patent No. 2,641,258 issued June 9, 1953. i l

Among the objects of this invention are: To form the undergarment principally from a one piece front portion in combination with a one piece side and back portion; and to rib knit the one piece front portion with the major upper section being knit with a substantially inelastic or nonstretchable laying-in thread and the minor lower section being a continuation of the rib knit upper section without the laying-in thread.

Other objects of this invention will, in part, be obvious and in part appear hereinafter.

This invention is disclosed in the embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawing, and it comprises the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

For a more complete understanding of the nature and scope of this invention, reference may be had to the tollowing detailed description, taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a View, in front elevation, of an undergarment constructed in accordance with this invention, it being understood that the features shown therein can be employed for both mens and womens undergarments;

Figure 2 is a view, in side elevation, of the garment' shown in Figure l; and

Figure 3 is a view, in rear elevation, of the garment shown in Figure 1.

Referring now` particularly to Figures l and 2 of the drawing, it will be observed that the reference character 10 designates, generally, an undergarment which is illustrated in the form of mens shorts-for illustrative purposes. As pointed out, while the undergarment 10 has been shown as an undergarment for men, many of the features of the present invention can be employed for a similar undergarment for women.

The undergarment 10 is formed, in part, by a one piece front portion 11 which is arranged to overlie the abdominal area and to extend substantially to its sides. The front portion 11 has its major upper section 12 rib knit with a substantially inelastic or non-stretchable laying-in thread, such as a Bouchel yarn which is made up of a combination of yarns such as nylon and cotton, the latter being wound around the former to prevent slipping while the nylon yarn provides the requisite strength and inelastic or non-stretchable characteristics. When the upper section 12 is rib knit with such a layingin thread, it is substantially non-stretchable in any direction. This is desirable in order to provide ample and positive support for the abdominal area not only inwardly but also upwardly from the underside thereof.

The one piece front portion 11 has a minor lower ICC 2 section 13 which is a n'b knit continuation of the major upper section 12 with the exception that the laying-iu thread is omitted. This provides a fabric which is horizontally stretchable readily butis substantially non stretchable in the vertical direction. The readily horizontally stretchable lower section 13A permits freedom of movement of the legs and `at the same time provides a comfortablefabric overlying the lowermostpart of the abdomen.

'Since the front portion 11 is rib knitv as one'continuous operation on a flat knittinggmachine, the cost thereof is substantially reduced over a fabric which is woven on a loom. Moreover, itis unnecessary to seam the upper and lower sections 12 and -13 together since they are knit integrally. This reduces the cost of the assembly o'r fabrication of the undergarment.` By rib` The one piece front portionvll is seamed atr14 along its sides to a one piece side and back portion as' indicated, generally, at 15, and shown more clearly in Figures- 2 and 3 of the drawing. The' side and back portion 15 includes an upper section 16 which generally is coextensive with the major upper section of the front portion 11 and is fabricated, as disclosed in the patent above referred to, to provide tension stress to the ends of the major upper section 12 so as to apply circumferentially thereto a relative high tension stress for supporting the abdominal area both upwardly and inwardly. For this purpose the upper section 16'includes elastic yarn or rubber having relatively more holding power running horizontally or circumferentially of the body than extends vertically in this section.

Knit integrally with the upper section 16 but without the elastic yarn or rubber running horizontally is a lower section 17 having the ends flared outwardly and downwardly so as to conform to and comfortably lit over the buttocks in various body positions. lt will be observed that both the upper section 16 and the lower section 17 are formed of two-way stretch material, it being understood that the former is provided with the elastic yarn which gives it the necessary tension applying ability to cause the major upper section 12 of the front portion 11 to fully support the abdominal area both upwardly and inwardly. Knit integrally with the upper section 16 is a narrow band 18 which has one-way stretclr characteristics in a circumferential direction.

It will be observed that the front portion 11 and the side and back portion 15 are fashioned into a bifurcated garment having leg openings 19 which are surrounded by leg bands 20. As shown the leg bands 20 are seamed at 21 to the respective juxtaposed edges of the lower sections 13 and-17 and are formed of such material that they are circumferentially stretchable but longitudinally are substantially non-stretchable.

As illustrated in Figure 3, a crotch portion 22 of soft and easily stretchable fabric is seamed at 23 to the central lower edge of the lower section 17. The sides of the crotch portion 22 are seamed to the leg bands 20 by a continuation of the seams 21.

For the mens undergarment there is provided a suspensory portion 24 as illustrated in Figure 1. It is seamed at 25 along its sides to the central lower part of the lower section 13. The bottom of the suspensory portion 24 is seamed to the forward edge of the crotch portion 22 while the lower sides are seamed to the juxtaposed portions of the leg bands 20. A narrow elastic band 26 extends across the upper edge of the suspensory portion 24.

Since certain changes can be made in the foregoing garment construction and different embodiments of the invention can be made wit-hout departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it is intended that all matter shown in the accompanying drawing and described hereinbefore shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense." Y Y, Y

What is claimedas new-is: s M s y1,Y An undergarrnent for molding theabdominal vbody areak andembrac'mg the lower side and back body areasv comprising, aone piece front portion adapted toI overlie the abdominal area and to extend substantially tothe sides of said area with the upper section being rib knit with asubvstantially non-stretchable laying-in thread whereby said upper section is substantially non-stretchable fabric and the lower section being a rib knit continuation of said upper section without said laying-in threadv whereby said lower section is horizontally stretchable and vertically substantially non-stretchable fabric, Vand aone piece sidev and back portion comprising. a two-way stretch elastic upper section joining the ends of said upper scction of said front portionv and capable of applying circumferentiallyrelatively high tension thereto for supportingt the abdominalv area bothk upwardly and inwardly and a two-way readily stretchable lower section joining;

to oyerlieV the abdominal' area and to extendl substantially to the sides of said area with the upper major section being knit with a substantially non-stretchable laying-in thread whereby said major upper section is substantially non-stretchable and with the minor lower section being knit without said laying-in thread whereby said minor lower section is horizontally stretchable and vertically substantially non-stretchable; and a one piece side and back portion comprising a two-way stretch elastic upper section joining the ends of said major upper section of said frontportion and capable of applying circumferentially relatively-high tension thereto for supporting the abdominal area both upwardly and inwardly and a twoway readily stretchable lower section joining. ,the ends of said minor lower section of said front portion.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS GreatBritain Oct. l2, 1933 

